An Australian reusable cup company based in Sydney, which has sold 5 million cups since its establishment seven years ago, has been acquired by the Australian B Corp and sustainable packaging company BioPak for an undisclosed amount.
Founded in 2017 by Saxon Wright and Adrian Chen, Huskee utilizes coffee husks, a byproduct of coffee production, to manufacture its modular, reusable HuskeeCup. The company later expanded its range to include the HuskeeRenew and HuskeeSteel.
With the acquisition deal between Huskee and BioPak now finalized, Wright expresses Huskee’s ambition to become the largest reuse company globally.
Although the sale price remains undisclosed due to confidentiality agreements, the transaction was completed in early April, following discussions that began approximately two years ago.
Wright will continue in his role as CEO of Huskee, leading the company in advancing reuse and refill initiatives, from encouraging the use of personal cups to providing comprehensive reuse solutions.
The acquisition provides Huskee with the opportunity to realize its long-standing goals with the support and resources of BioPak, facilitating rapid growth and international expansion to capitalize on current market opportunities.
Huskee’s team, comprising 25 employees, will remain intact and is expected to double in size over the next year or two. Despite being under BioPak’s ownership, Huskee will operate independently, benefiting from BioPak’s logistical and warehousing capabilities to enhance operational efficiency and offer integrated solutions to customers.
Bold ambition
Wright emphasizes Huskee’s ambitious mission, driven by a commitment to environmental sustainability.
“Thus far, we’ve managed to sell around 5 million cups, and we’re aiming for much more,” he states. “Our vision is to rapidly expand our reuse systems into international markets, fostering a culture of single-use reduction.”
“We aim to collaborate with a wide spectrum of stakeholders, from small cafes to large corporations, universities to council precincts,” he adds. “While we’ve been in talks with numerous governments and agencies, resource constraints have limited our progress. However, with our recent partnership, we’re poised to make significant strides.”
The overarching objective, according to Wright, is to become “the largest reuse company globally.” He acknowledges that achieving this goal will require effort but believes that the collaboration with BioPak will propel them toward this objective.
BioPak is already active in sustainability initiatives, having launched Compost Connect in 2018, a not-for-profit endeavor aimed at promoting composting accessibility in Australia and New Zealand.
On a national level, the Australian government’s National Waste Policy Action Plan 2019 targets a 10% reduction in waste generation per person by 2030. Despite some states phasing out takeaway coffee cups, Australians were estimated to discard 1.8 billion single-use cups annually, according to the Australian Plastics Flows and Fates Study 2019–20.
Wright acknowledges that implementing reuse systems can pose initial financial challenges, with cost-effectiveness achievable only at scale.
“BioPak boasts a diverse customer base across various sectors, enabling us to leverage their network and offer complementary solutions,” he explains. “This scalability will make reuse more feasible and affordable. Our aim is to facilitate a seamless transition toward sustainability and circularity, and the combined efforts of Huskee and BioPak present a compelling pathway for positive change in any business context.”
